UNITED STATES GEOLOGICAL SURVEY 

(3E0RGE OTIS SMITH, Director 

Water-supply Paper 366 

PROFILE SURVEYS 

OF 

SNOQUALMIE, SULTAN, AND SKYKOMISH 
RIVERS, WASHINGTON 



PREPARED UNDER THE DIRECTION OF 

R. B. MARSHALL, Chief Geographer 




^■^.•^ 



WASHINGTON 

GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE 
1914 




Glass jife^^Z^fcT 
Book )l ^ mZ 



DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR 
UNITED STATES GEOLOGICAL SURVEY 

GEORGE OTIS SMITH, Director 



Water- S11PPI.Y Paper 366 



PROFILE SURVEYS 

OF 



SNOQUALMIE, SULTAN, AND SKYKOMISH 
RlYERS, WASHINGTON s^~^ . 



PREPARED UNDER THE DIRECTION OP 

R. B. MARSHALL, Chief Geographer 




WASHINGTON 

GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE 
1914 



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D. OF 0. 

JAN IS 1915 






CONTENTS. 



Page. 

General features of Snohomish RiA'er basin 5 

Gaging stations - 6 

Publications - - 7 



ILLUSTRATIONS. 



Plate I. A~D, Plan and profile of Snoqualmie River and certain tributaries 

above Fall City, Wash. . . . ... . .' '. At end of volume. 

II. A-B, Plan and profile of Sultan River above Sultan, Wash 

At end of volume. 
III. A-F, Plan and profile of Skykomish River and certain tributaries 

above Gold Bar, Wash At end of volume. 

49607°— WSP 366—14 3 



PKOflLE SURVEYS OF SNOQTIALMIE, SULTAN, AND 
SKYKOMISH RIVERS, WASHINGTON. 



Prepared under the direction of R. B. Marshall, Chief Geographer. 



GENERAL FEATURES OF SNOHOMISH RIVER BASIN. 

Snohomish River is formed by the imion of Skykomish and Sno- 
quahnie rivers, in the southwestern part of Snohomish County, Wash., 
and flows northwestward into Puget Sound. 

Skykoixdsh River drains the west slope of the Cascade Momitains 
for a distance of 30 miles as measured along the divide or 22 miles 
in a straight line, northward between the point common to King, 
Kittitas, and Chelan counties, along the eastern boundary of King 
and Snohomish counties to a point 1 mile south of Indian Pass, at 
the divide between the Skykomish and Sauk drainage basins. 

Skykomish River proper is formed by the junction of its Xorth and 
South forks near the town of Index and the southern boundary of 
Snohomish Countv. The largest tributaries of the North Fork are 
Trout, Troublesome, Gobble, and Cady creeks. The South Fork is 
formed by the junction of Beckler and Tye rivers near the town of 
Skykomish, and the largest tributaries below the junction are Miller 
Creek and Money Creek, which enter from the south near the town 
of Berhn. Below Index, at the junction of the forks. Sultan River 
is the main tributary. It enters from the north and flows into the 
Skykomish at Sultan. Ten miles below Sultan the Skykomish unites 
with the Snoqualmie, whose Middle Fork, forming the continuation 
of the main stream, rises on the west slope of the Cascade Range not 
far from the head of the South Fork of the Skykomish and takes a 
westerly and northwesterly course. 

Above the junction of the North and South forks the drainage 
area of the Skykomish is situated in the Snoqualmie National Forest, 
in King and Snohomish counties, except a strip about 1 mile wide 
along the bed of the South Fork, which is privately owned. 

The topography is very rugged. The mountains are 5,000 to 6,000 
feet high. In the valleys and on the lower slopes is a good stand of 



6 SURVEYS OF SNOQUALMIE, SULTAN, AND SKYKOMISH EIVEES, WASH. 

Douglas fir, hemlock, and cedar, which grows thinner up the slopes 
and is entirely absent on the mountain tops. The soil in the vallc3's 
is a loose glacial gravel, with banks of blue clay and a few pockets of 
loam. The soil is thin on the slopes and entirely absent on the higher 
elevations. 

During the winter the basin is covered with snow 2 to 10 feet 
deep. At the headwaters, over the greater part of the higher slopes, 
the snow remains until May or June, and on the higher peaks never 
entirely disappears. The Skykomish reaches its lowest stage in 
September, when freezing begins in the higher parts of the basin, and 
before the fall rains begin. Another low period is in February, w hen 
the stream is ice locked and all precipitation is held back in the form 
of snow. 

There are many power sites on the forks of the Skykomish above 
Index. The low-water flow is augmented by the natural storage 
furnished by many small lakes at the headwaters and by the glacial 
and everlasting snow in which the stream has its source. It is prob- 
able that this flow can be further conserved by artificial storage. 

GAGING STATIONS. 

The Survey has maintamed in the area drained by Snoqualmie, 
Sultan, and Skykomish rivers the gaging stations shown by the fol- 
lowing list. The stations are arranged in downstream order, the 
main stem of the river being determined by measuring or estimating 
its drainage area; that is, the headwater stream draining the largest 
area is considered the continuation of the main stream and all sta- 
tions from source to mouth are presented first; stations on the tribu- 
taries, in regular order from source to mouth, follow. Relations of 
tributaries are indicated by indention. A dash following a date indi- 
cates that the station was being maintained June 30, 1913. A period 
after a date indicates discontinuance. 

Soilth Fork of Skykomish River (head of Snohomish River) near Berlin, Wasli., 1910- 
South Fork of Skykomish River near Index, Wash., 1902-1905; 1912- 
Skykomish River at Sultan, Wash., 1910-1912. 
Foss River near Skykomish, Wash., 1911. 

East Fork of Foss River near Skykomish, Wash., 1911. 
Miller Creek near Berlin, Wash., 1911- 

West Fork of Miller Creek near Berlin, Wash., 1911-1912. 
North Fork of Skykomish River near Index, Wash., 1910-1912. 
Middle Fork of Snoqualmie River (head of the Snoqualmie) near Ncrth Bend, 

Wash., 1911- 
Snoqualmie River at Snoqualmie Falls, Wash., 1902-1906; 1911- 

North Fork of Snoqualmie River near North Bend, Wash., 1911- 
South Fork of Snoqualmie River above Alice Creek, Wash., 1911- 
South Fork of Snoqualmie River at North Bend, Wash., 1911- 
Tokul Creek near Snoqualmie, Wash., 1911- 
Pilchuck Creek near Granite Falls, Wash., 1911-12. 



SURVEYS OF SXOQUALMIE, SULTAN, AND SKVKOMISII RIVERS, WASH. 7 

PUBLICATIONS. 

Information concerning stream flow at the stations listed in the 
preceding table has been published by the Survey in the following 
reports : 
Water-Supply Papers: 85, 100, 104, 178, 214, 292, 312, ^ 332,2 3^2.2 

Water-supply papers and other publications of the United States 
Geological Survey containing data in regard to the water resources 
of the United States may be obtained or consulted as indicated 
below. 

1. Copies may ))e obtained free of charge by applying to the 
Director of the Geological Survey, Washington, D. C, but the edition 
printed for free distribution is small and is soon exhausted. 

2. Copies may be purchased at nominal cost from the Superin- 
tendent of Documents, Government Printing Office, Washington, 
D. C, who will on application furnish lists giving prices. 

3. Sets of the reports may be consulted in the libraries of the prin- 
cipal cities in the United States. 

4. Complete sets are available for consultation in the local offices 
of the water-resources branch of the Geological Survey, as follows: 

Albany, N. Y., Room 18, Federal Building. 

Atlanta, Ga., Post Office Building. 

St. Paul, Minn., Old Capitol Building. 

Helena, Mont., Montana National Bank Building. 

Denver, Colo., 302 Chamber of Commerce Building. 

Salt Lake City, Utah, Federal Building. 

Boise, Idaho, 615 Idaho Building. 

Portland, Oreg., 416 Couch Building. 

Tacoma, Wash., Federal Building. 

San Francisco, CaL, 328 Customhouse. 

Los Angeles, CaL, Federal Building. 

Santa Fe, N. Mex., Capitol Building. 

Honolulu, Hawaii, Kapiolani Building. 

A list of the Geological Survey's publications will be sent on appli- 
cation to the Director of the United States Geological Survey, 
Washington, D. C. 



1 In press June, 1914. 2 In preparation June, 1914. 

O 



Ju 



i. 



U. S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY 

GEORGE OTIS SMITH. DIRECTOR 

STATE OF WASHINGTON 

M. E, HAY. GOVERNOR 

HENRY LANDES. STATE GEOLOGIST 



PLAN AND PROFILE OF 
SNOQUALMIE RIVER AND CERTAIN TRIBUTARIES 

ABOVE FALL CITY, WASHINGTON 



WATER-SUPPLY PAPER 366 PLATE I A 




R. B. Maishall, Chief Geoataphe 
T G. Gerdine. Geographer in cha 
Topography by R. M. LaFoliette 



Vertical scale 1 inch = 100 feet 

Contour interval on land 25 feet 

Contour interval on river surface 5 and 25 feet 



U S GEOLOGICAL SURVEY 

GEORGE OTIS SMITH. DIRECTOR 

STATE OF WASHINGTON 

M E. HAY, GOVERNOR 

-IFMRY LANCES. STATE GEOLOGIST 



PLAN AND PROFILE OF 

SNOQUALMIE RIVER AND CERTAIN TRIBUTARIES 

ABOVE FALL CITY. WASHINGTON 



WATER-SUPPLY PAPER 366 PLATE I B 




R. B. Marshall, Chiet Geographer 
T. G. Gerdine, Geographer in charge 
Topography by R. M. LaFolletle 

Surveyed ir. 191 1 



Vertical scale 1 inch = 100 feet 

Contour interval on land 25 feet 

Contour interval on river surface B and 25 feet 

Datum 19 mmn Ma level 

1914 



DECLINATION 1' 



3 



U S GEOLOGICAL SURVEY 

GEORGE OTIS SMITH. DIRECTOR 

STATE OF WASHINGTON 

ERNEST LISTER. GOVERNOR 

HENRY LANDES. STATE GEOLOGIST 



PLAN AND PROFILE OF 

SNOQUALMIE RIVER AND CERTAIN TRIBUTARIES 

ABOVE FALL CITY. WASHINGTON 



WATER-SUPPLY PAPER 366 PLATE I C 




R. B. Ma.shall, Chiiil Geogoph 
T. G, Gefdine. Geogfaph 
Topogiaphy by A. J, Ogl 
Surveyed in 1913 



Scale sifeff 



Subject to adjustment 



cha 



Vertical scale 1 inch = 100 feet 

Contour interval on land 25 feet 

Contour interval on river surface 5 and 25 feet 




4 



U, S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY 

GEORGE OTIS SMITH. DIRECTOR 

STATE OF WASHINGTON 

ERNEST LISTER, GOVERNOR 

HENRY LANDES. STATE GEOLOGIST 



PLAN AND PROFILE OF 
SNOQUALMIE RIVER AND CERTAIN TRIBUTARIES 

ABOVE FALL CITY, WASHINGTON 



WATER-SUPPLY PAPER 366 PLATE I D 



S NOQUA LMiE 




A 


'V .1 


'^^ 


i 


"^1 



R. B. Marshall, Chief Geographei 
T. G. Gerdine, Geographer in ch. 
Topography by A. J. Ogle 
Surveyed in 1913 



Scale WM 



nil 







Vertical scale 1 inch = 100 feet 

Contour interval on land 25 feet 

Contour interval on river surface 5 and 25 feet 

Datum if mtan aca level 

1914 




Subject to adjustment ^ SHEETS 



5 



U 5. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY 

GEORGE OTIS SMITH. DIRECTOR 

STATE OF WASHINGTON 

ERNEST LISTER. GOVERNOR 

HENRY LANOES, STATE GEOLOGIST 




PLAN AND PROFILE OF 

SULTAN RIVER 

ABOVE SULTAN. WASHINGTON 



WATER-SUPPLY PAPfR 366 PLATE H A 




Reservoir Site 

Topography by Washington Railroad & Electric Co. 

Scale 3tW 

Contour interval 10 feet 

Datum M mean aea level 







^ tl " ■- 




23- 


^^^^^5 




■ \ 


W" 


A 


32 m 


\f[f^'^ 33 ^ 




R. B. Marshall, Chief Geoecaphet 
T. G. Gerdine. Geographer in charge 
Topography by A. J, Ogle 
Surveyed in 1913 



Scale STBfio 



Subject to adjustmeni 



2 SHEETS 
(I plan, 1 profile) 



4,000 2,000 



I 



Contour interval on land 25 feel 
Contour interval on river surface 5 feet 

1914 



6 



U, S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY 

GEORGE OTIS SMITH. DIRECTOR 

STATE OF WASHINGTON 

ERNEST LISTER, GOVERNOR 

HENRY LANDES. STATE GEOLOGIST 



PLAN AND PROFILE OF 

SULTAN RIVER 

ABOVE SULTAN. WASHINGTON 



WATER-SUPPLY PAPER 366 PLATE II B 




R 8 Mafshall. Chief Geogfaphi 
T G Gerdine, Geog'aphi 
Topography by A, J. Ogl 
Surveyed m 1913 



2 SHEETS 
(I plan, 1 profile) 



Vertical scale 1 inch = 40 feet 

Dftliim is mean sea leivl 
1914 



U S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY 

GEORGE OTIS SMITH, DIRECTOR 

STATE OF WASHINGTON 

ERNEST LISTER. GOVERNOR 

HENRY LANDES. STATE GEOLOGIST 



PLAN AND PROFILE OF 

SKYKOMISH RIVER AND CERTAIN TRIBUTARIES 

ABOVE GOLD BAR, WASHINGTON 



WATER-SUPPLY PAPER 366 PLATE III A 




R. B. Maishall, Chiel Geogtaphet 
T. G. Gerdine, Geographer in chatee 
Topography by A. J. Ogle 
Surveyed in 1913 



Scale suJSF 



Subject to adjustment 



6 SHEETS 
(3 plans, 3 profiles) 



4,000 2,000 



Contour intei^al on land 25 feet 
Contour interval on river surface 5 feet 

Dntum u mmn ua (nW 

1914 



DECLINATION I! 



8 



1 



U S, GEOLOGICAL SURVEY 

GEORGE OTIS SMITH. DIRECTOR 

STATE OF WASHINGTON 

ERNEST LISTER, GOVERNOR 

HENRY LANDES. STATE GEOLOGIST 



PLAN AND PROFILE OF 

SKYKOMISH RIVER AND CERTAIN TRIBUTARIES 

ABOVE GOLD BAR, WASHINGTON 



WATER-SUPPLY PAPER 366 PLATE 




Contour interval on land 26 feet 
Contour interval on river surface 5 feet 

Datum is mean Bea level 
1914 



9 



U. S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY 

GEORGE OTIS SMITH. DIRECTOR 

STATE OF WASHINGTON 

ERNEST LISTER. GOVERNOR 

HENRY LANDES. STATE GEOLOGIST 



PLAN AND PROFILE OF 
SKYKOMISH RIVER AND CERTAIN TRIBUTARIES 

ABOVE GOLD BAR, WASHINGTON 



WATER-SUPPLY PAPER 366 PLATE III c 




R. B, Marshall, Chief Geographet 
T, G. Gefdine, Geographer in charge 
Topography by A. J 
Surveyed in 1913 



10 



U. S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY 

GEORGE OTIS SMITH. DIRECTOR 

STATE OF WASHINGTON 

ERNEST LISTER, GOVERNOR 

HENRY LANDES. STATE GEOLOGIST 



PLAN AND PROFILE OF 

SKYKOMISH RIVER AND CERTAIN TRIBUTARIES 

ABOVE GOLD BAR, WASHINGTON 



WATER-SUPPLY PAPER 366 PLATE III D 




6 SHEETS 
(3 plans, 3 profiles) 



R, B. Marshall, Chiel Geographer 
T. G. Geidine, Geographer in chargr 
Topography by A. J. Ogle 
Surveyed in 1913 



11 



U. S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY 

GEORGE OTIS SMITH. DIRECTOR 

STATE OF WASHINGTON 

ERNEST LISTER. GOVERNOR 

HENRY LANDES. STATE GEOLOGIST 



PLAN AND PROFILE OF 

SKYKOMISH RIVER AND CERTAIN TRIBUTARIES 

ABOVE GOLD BAR, WASHINGTON 



WATER-SUPPLY PAPER 366 PLATE HI E 




R, B. Maishall, Chief Geoecapher 
T. G. Gerdine. Geogtapher in charge 
Topogfaphy by A. J. Ogle 
Surveyed in 1913 



Scale STKo 



Subject to adjustment 



6 SHEETS 
(3 plans. 3 profiles) 



Vertical scale 1 inch = 40 feet 

Datum it nuan ma teoel 

1914 



12 



U S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY 

GEORGE OTIS SMITH, DIRECTOR 

STATE OF WASHINGTON 

ERNEST LISTER, GOVERNOR 

HENRY LANDES. STATE GEOLOGIST 



PLAN AND PROFILE OF 

SKYKOMISH RIVER AND CERTAIN TRIBUTARIES 

ABOVE GOLD BAR, WASHINGTON 



WATER-SUPPLY PAPER 366 PLATE 111 F 




R, B. Marshall, Chiel Geographer 
T. G, Gerdine, Geographer in charge 
Topography by A J, Ogle 
Surveyed in 1913 



Scale ^fflO 



Subject to adjustment 



6 SHEETS 
(3 plans, 3 profiles) 



Vertical scale 1 inch = 40 feet 

Datum ia nwan tea Uvet 
1914 



LB.VIr'15 



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